17459 - From Ibn Shihab (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: It reached us that the polytheists used to argue with the Muslims while they were in Makkah, saying: "The Byzantines are People of the Book and the Persians have defeated them, and you claim that you will be victorious through the Book which was revealed to your Prophet. We shall defeat you just as Persia defeated Byzantium." So Allah revealed: "Alif-Lam-Mim. The Byzantines have been defeated." Ibn Shihab said: 'Ubayd Allah ibn 'Abd Allah ibn 'Utbah ibn Mas'ud informed me, saying: When these two verses were revealed, Abu Bakr wagered something with some of the polytheists—before gambling was forbidden—that if the Byzantines did not defeat the Persians within a few (bid') years [he would lose/win]. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "Why did you do that? Everything under ten is a 'bid'' (a few years)." The victory of Persia over Byzantium was in seven years, then Allah made Byzantium victorious over Persia at the time of Hudaybiyyah, and the Muslims rejoiced at the victory of the People of the Book.

17460 - From Abu Sa'id who said: On the day of Badr, Byzantium was victorious over Persia, which pleased the believers. Then "Alif-Lam-Mim. The Byzantines have been defeated" was revealed—reading it with the nasb (accusative) case—up to His saying: "The believers shall rejoice in the victory of Allah." He said: So the believers rejoiced at the victory of Byzantium over Persia.

17461 - From Qatadah regarding His saying: "The Byzantines have been defeated in the lowest land," he said: The people of Persia defeated them in the lowest land, which is al-Sham, "and they, after their defeat, will be victorious." He said: When Allah revealed these verses, the Muslims believed their Lord and knew that Byzantium would be victorious over the people of Persia. They and the polytheists wagered five young camels and set an appointment of five years between them. The one in charge of the Muslims' side of the wager was Abu Bakr, and the one in charge of the polytheists' side was Ubayy ibn Khalaf, and that was before gambling was prohibited. The term arrived and Byzantium had not yet defeated Persia. The polytheists demanded their wager, so this was mentioned to the companions of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and he said: "Was it not more fitting for you to set an appointment of less than ten? For a 'few' (bid') is between three and ten." They increased and matched the time of the appointment, and then Allah gave Byzantium victory over Persia at the end of the seven years from their first wager. This was upon their return from Hudaybiyyah, and it was one of the things through which Allah strengthened Islam. That is His saying: "And on that day the believers shall rejoice in the victory of Allah."

17462 - From al-Zubayr al-Kilabi who said: I saw the victory of Persia over Byzantium, then I saw the victory of Byzantium over Persia, then I saw the victory of the Muslims over Persia and Byzantium, and their dominance over al-Sham and Iraq, all of that within fifteen years.